The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today described as a “tired old script” the statements last night of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Andres Centino’s claiming that “hardships and mass surrender” are taking toll on the New People’s Army (NPA).

“Wala na bang bago sa script niyo?,” CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena twitted Gen. Centino. “Don’t you have anything new to say or show other than your tired old script, falsified numbers of ‘surrenders’ and fake news reports of AFP battlefield victories?”

“Hindi na mabilang na heneral ng AFP sa nakaraan ang lahat nagmalaki na dudurugin at wawakasan ang NPA, pero lahat sila’y napatunayang mali ng kasaysayan,” said Valbuena. (“I could no longer count the number of past AFP generals who bragged that they will crush and end the NPA, but all were proved wrong by history.”)

“Hindi na rin mabilang na inulit ni Duterte na tatapusin niya ang NPA bago magtapos ang taon o bago siya bumaba sa poder,” added Valbuena. “Ilang ulit na rin niyang inusod ang ‘deadline’ para rito?”

“The Red fighters of the NPA are steeled and have become stronger in the face of sacrifices they have chosen to endure for the sake of masses,” added Valbuena. “In the face of worsening brutality of the AFP’s war, NPA Red fighters become even more determined to fight to attain justice for the people.”

The AFP and Duterte’s National Task Force-Elcac, recently claimed that around 24,000 “Red fighters and supporters” have surrendered to the government, declaring the regime’s “counterinsurgency campaign” successful.

“These numbers being reported by the NTF-ELCAC and the AFP are all a farce,” said Valbuena, pointing out that these are several times the number of NPA fighters.

“A great majority of those presented as surrenderers are, in fact, civilians, whose democratic rights were violated by the arbitrary, baseless and unlawful red-tagging by the AFP,” said Valbuena. “They are unarmed peasants who have been subjected to relentless harassment and suppression by the military.” he said.

“Far from being crushed, the NPA and the revolutionary movement continues to steadily advance across the country,” noted Valbuena.

“Of course, in the course of waging war, some fighters surrender or abscond. But their numbers are far, far below from that being claimed by the AFP.” Moreover, Valbuena pointed out, “those who choose to surrender are being replaced by younger and more determined Red fighters.” (CPP Information Bureau)